1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to a hitch receiver apparatus for a vehicle and, more particularly, to a hitch receiver apparatus for a vehicle that is configured such that it can be installed using a storage box, which is provided in the inner space of a rear bumper.
2. Description of Related Art
In general, a hitch receiver apparatus functions to connect a trailer to a towing vehicle. As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the hitch receiver apparatus includes a hitch receiver 1 and a receiver bracket 2, which are integrally coupled to each other. The receiver bracket 2 is coupled to the central portion of a rear back beam 3. In some cases, a plurality of reinforcement members 5 that connect the receiver bracket 2 to side members 4 is added as required.
When the trailer function is required, the hitch receiver is used by fixedly inserting a draw bar 6 the hitch receiver 1, and coupling a ball joint 7 to the draw bar 6. After use, the draw bar 6 and the ball joint 7 are detached from the hitch receiver 1 and are then stored separately.
However, in the hitch receiver apparatus of the related art, even though the trailer function is not used, the hitch receiver 1, which is coupled to the rear back beam 3, constantly protrudes downwards from the rear back beam 3, as shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4. Therefore, in addition to a rear bumper 8 that covers the rear back beam 3, a hitch cover 9 that covers the hitch receiver 1 is separately required. This disadvantageously leads to an increase in weight and cost.
Furthermore, the hitch cover 9 decreases the ground clearance of the vehicle, which is then subjected to frequent contacts with the ground. This causes a drawback in that the hitch cover 9 is easily damaged or broken.
In addition, the coupling of the hitch receiver 1 to the rear back beam 3 increases the backward protrusion of the hitch cover 9 that covers the hitch receiver 1. This consequently decreases the degree of freedom of the design of the vehicle, which is disadvantageous.
Furthermore, the use of the reinforcement members 5, which are connected to the side members 4 in order to reinforce the strength of the hitch receiver 1, disadvantageously increases the weight and cost.
In FIG. 4, reference numeral X1 indicates the extent by which the hitch cover protrudes backwards with respect to the rear bumper, and reference numeral Y1 indicates the extent by which the hitch cover protrudes downwards with respect to the rear bumper.
The information disclosed in this Background of the Invention section is only for the enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention, and should not be taken as an acknowledgment or any form of suggestion that this information forms a prior art that would already be known to those skilled in the art.